Band clamps are widely used in a variety of applications. The clamps generally include a flexible band that can be formed into a loop around an object, such as a telephone pole or signage pole, and a separate buckle that receives the opposing ends of the band and locks the ends in a fixed position. An example of a non-performed band clamp that is useful for outdoor applications is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,032. Generally, banding material is manufactured in lengths of up to about one hundred feet or more, wound into circular coils for storage and transportation, and later partially unwound to cut off a desired length of band, as needed.
Various types of containers have been used to package, store, carry and dispense coils of flexible band. The band typically is wound into a spiral coil, before being placed into an open container. The open container receives the band and then is closed with a second piece, such as a lid. As such, prior containers require at least some assembly after the banding material is inserted. This can be cumbersome and expensive, often requiring significant manual assembly, in part due to the weight and the pressure of the coiled, flexible band against the container.
Containers are constructed in a variety of sizes to accommodate banding material of a variety of widths and lengths. Bands for these applications typically are manufactured in widths varying from about less than 1/4 inch to a little over one inch and in lengths varying from several feet to several hundred feet. To securely hold the coiled banding material, the container must have side walls of sufficient height to house the banding material, without allowing it to partially or completely unwind. As such, such containers typically are constructed of two pieces to provide the desired side wall height for each different width of banding material, either 1) one piece having a side wall to accommodate the desired width of banding material and a second piece essentially being a lid, without a sidewall; or 2) two pieces having sidewalls of substantially the same height to combine to provide the desired height. In either event, a large number of separate pieces are required to construct such containers to accommodate a variety of widths of banding material.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a tote assembly that incorporates additional advantages associated with assembling, packaging, storing, carrying and/or dispensing coiled, flexible banding material.